One of rarest animals in the world born at zoo

By Izzy Hawksworth via SWNS

One of the rarest animals in the world which faces extinction has been born at a UK zoo.

Jasper, an adorable Persian onager, was born at Chester Zoo in Cheshire, after mom Azita had a year-long pregnancy.

There are only around 600 of the animals in the wild as they've been listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The species, which are also called the Persian wild ass or Persian zebra, come from the semi-desert region of Iran and are related to domestic donkeys.

Mike Jordan, animal and plant director at the zoo, is "delighted" about the birth of Jasper.

He said: "Onagers are the most threatened equid species in the world and one of the rarest animals that we care for here at the zoo.

"We’re absolutely delighted a new foal has been born – he’ll help to boost global numbers of this little-known species.

"The leggy youngster, who has been named Jasper by our team, is doing very well and mum Azita is doing a fantastic job of nurturing and bonding with her new charge.

"He’s full of energy and enjoys playfully kicking up sand as he races around his habitat."

Chester Zoo is the only place in the UK that works with the animals due to the challenges of breeding and caring for them.